Under Lock and Key
by The Light of Cherry Blossoms
Summary: Wisteria Cresting, the Silver Soul Alchemist, is a girl whose life revolves around the secrets only she knows. That is, until she meets Edward Elric. He's understanding and caring. He treats her like a human, something she isn't used to. Her heart is locked, but she has a feeling Edward might be the one with the key. EdxOC


_I decided to do something a little different. This is going to start away from the original plot, maybe a few months before. Then, it is going to tie in with both Brotherhood and the 2003 anime. Who knows what I'll do after that. ^_~_

* * *

A girl walked through Central, her face void of all emotion. Her brown ponytail bobbed back and forth in time to her stride as she pushed her stray hair out of her face. She was an unfamiliar figure in the town, dressed in a white tank top, black shorts reaching about mid-thigh, black combat boots with buckles on them and a long black coat. She had a necklace with a turquoise teardrop gem secured by leather cord. On her hands, she wore a pair of white fingerless gloves, unique transmutation circles printed on them in black. On occasion, people would spot gun holsters resting on her thighs with silver pistols stuck in them. A silver chain dangled from her coat's left pocket, swinging whenever her left leg moved.

As she strolled down the street, mother's shooed their kids away from her and the men watched her carefully. She paid no attention to them though, her teal colored eyes were fixated on the book in front of her. She didn't look up once to see where she was going as she weaved her way through people. People watched in awe as she simply flipped in the air over a man she nearly ran into, landing softly on the other side. Then, she continued to walk on as if nothing had happened. "Al! Put the cat down!" a male voice yelled.

The girl winced at the sudden disturbance, "I have discovered-"

"But it's hungry, Brother!" a younger, echoed voice replied.

The girl took a deep breath, a vein in her forehead bulging, "Discovered that-"

"I don't care! Put it-"

Whoever it was didn't get a chance to finish his sentence as a book slammed into his face while the girl screamed, "Shut up!"

She straightened up and blinked, seeing a suit of armor kneeling in front of a short blonde kid. The armor poked him carefully, "Brother?"

The blonde suddenly jumped up, brandishing her book angrily with his back turned to her, "Okay! Who the hell did that?!"

Everyone on the street pointed to the girl who had calmed down enough to return to her emotionless facade. The blonde slowly spun on his heel to face her, glaring daggers with his golden eyes. She watched him calmly, striding forward and snatching her book out of his hands. She peered at the spine and looked back to the short blonde, "You got blood on it."

He seemed surprised by the blunt statement. "I wouldn't have gotten blood on it if you didn't throw it at me like a freak!"

"I wouldn't have had to throw it at you if you stopped yelling. We are in a public place, you know," she told him, opening the book again.

He took it from her before she could read anything. She stared at the spot where her book had been before looking back up- um- down at the blonde. "Give me my book back," she instructed.

"Not until you apologize for throwing it me," he stated.

"I see no reason to apologize for your idiocy, sir."

"You're picking a fight with the wrong person," he smirked.

"As are you. Now, I implore you to give me my book back."

"Brother," the suit of armor started. "Maybe you should just give her the book back. We were being a little-"

"No, Al, I'm going to teach her a lesson. No one messes with the FullMetal Alchemist, Edward Elric, and gets-"

He was cut of by a clicking sound and the feeling of cold metal against the back of his head. "I don't care who the hell you are, FullMetal Alchemist or not, I just want my book back and I'll be on my way."

He held up his hands in defeat, knowing there was no way to beat her when she's holding a gun to his head at point blank range. She removed the gun as she snatched back her book. "Thank-you, have a nice day."

And with that, she walked away. Edward spun around and watched as she disappeared into the crowd, her eyes already focused on the book in her hands.

* * *

"I would like to report an assault on a military personal!" Edward announced as he walked into Mustang's office, Alphonse following close behind.

Everyone looked up from what they were doing to watch the FullMetal Alchemist. Ne was angry- no, pissed- at the girl who had challenged him. First she slams a book into his face, almost breaking his nose and then she holds a damn pistol to his to his head. It was frustrating! He hadn't even seen her move behind him.

Mustang brushed his hair black hair out of his eyes as he looked up from his paperwork, seeming amused,"Okay. Can you describe your attacker?"

The blonde Alchemist stopped to think for a moment, "Female, Caucasian, brown hair, teal eyes, about fifteen years old. Wears a black coat like mine, a white tank top, black shorts, gloves, and black combat boots. Armed."

Mustang's amused expression only grew as he smiled, then chuckled. "What's so funny?!" Edward demanded, getting annoyed.

"I'm pretty sure I know who you just described."

Edward blinked, surprised, "You do?"

"Yes, I see her almost everyday."

He thought about this statement for a moment, "Is she your girlfriend or something?"

"No she's-" Mustang broke off, laughing.

Hawkeye, who had been standing next to him sighed before turning to Edward, "She's a State Alchemist."

"W-what?!"

Mustang regained his composure just as the door opened to reveal the girl from earlier. She stepped into the room and saluted Mustang, "Silver Soul Alchemist, Wisteria Cresting reporting in, sir."

Edward gawked at her, then turned to look at Mustang who smiled smugly. "I hear you assaulted FullMetal here," the Colonel stated.

"He took my book, sir," she told him, her facial expression never changing.

"And why'd he do that?"

"Because I threw it at him."

Mustang's eyebrows raised, "Why'd you throw it at him."

"He was disturbing civil peace. As a State Alchemist, it is my job to keep the peace, correct? Or have I been mistaken?"

Mustang nodded, "Then your reasons are justified."

"What?!" Edward exclaimed, frustrated.

"She has done nothing but perform her duty to the people of Amestris by shutting you up," Mustang stated.

Edward growled in frustration, "Why the hell did you want me to come here anyways?"

"I have a mission for you and Silver Soul here."

Edward glanced at Wisteria who was looking intently at the same book from earlier, seeming to pay no attention to the meeting. He sighed, "What's the mission?"

"There have been some 'disturbances' in a small town near here I want you to investigate. Something about an Alchemist with a red stone..."

"The Philosopher's Stone," Edward mumbled, glancing at Alphonse.

There was an awkward silence before Mustang cleared his throat, "Anyways, I want you to take Wisteria and leave as soon as possible."

Edward snapped out of his thoughts, "Why do I have to take her?!"

"She's useful to have around," Mustang told him.

"I'm not going to be anyone's babysitter, sir," Wisteria stated bluntly.

The blonde Alchemist looked at her. So she was paying attention. "Sorry, guys. Fuhrer's orders. After the damage in that town, Edward needs an escort and I thought someone around your age would be better."

She stood and saluted, not taking her eyes off her book, "Yes, sir."

She turned on her heel and walked out. Edward glared at Mustang before following her, Alphonse close behind. She walked comfortably down the hall, navigating around the few soldiers. It few minutes for the brothers to catch up to her. She glanced at Edward. "Did you know your brother's hollow?" she asked dully.

Edward stiffened, "How'd-"

"He echoes," she told him. "If you don't want people to find out, you should put some rocks in the bottom of his armor. I'm not going to ask what happened, it is none of my business."

"You aren't curious?"

"I am, I just don't see any reason to pry into your business when you don't pry into mine."

"Thanks, I appreciate that."

She nodded, her focus redirected to her book. Edward found the silence uncomfortable and apparently so did Alphonse. "What are you reading?" the younger brother asked.

"Peter Relic's Theories of the Universe," she told him.

"Is it good?"

She nodded, "According to Relic's research, it is possible that there are several different universes, all of them parallel to each other."

"Parallel universes? Sounds a little far-fetched to me," Edward opinionated.

She frowned, "I think it's a romantic notion. Imagine another you, living another life. Maybe in a world without alchemy."

The blonde Alchemist laughed, "A world without alchemy? You've got to be joking me!"

"Anything's possible, Edward."

"Call me Ed."

"Ed," she repeated. "You can call me Wisty if you'd like."

"Wisty... What kind of circles are those anyways?" he asked, picking up her gloved hand to peer at the Transmutation circle drawn on it.

"Ones I developed myself," she informed him.

"That's so cool!" Alphonse exclaimed. "What kind of alchemy do they do?"

"All."

"'All'? What do you mean?" Edward questioned.

"They do all kinds of alchemy."

Both of the brothers' jaws dropped. "They do all the variations of alchemy?" Alphonse confirmed.

Sighing, Wisteria put her book in her coat's pocket. She seemed to know that she wasn't going to get much reading done with these two around. "Yes, I've spent my whole life developing it."

"Can you show me how to draw it?" the suit of armor inquired anxiously while Edward stared at in an attempt to memorize the complicated lines.

"No."

"Why not?"

"I can't. It's so complicated only I can draw it. I even make all of my gloves myself."

Edward raised a hand to his head, "She's right, Al. Just staring at it for too long is dizzying."

"Aww..." Alphonse said, disappointment evident in his voice.

"Hey, how about we spar?" Edward suggested after a moment.

"May I join?" Wisteria asked.

"Sure!" Alphonse said cheerfully.

"Only if you can keep up," Edward challenged.

A small half-smile slid onto her face, disappearing as soon as it appeared. "Don't worry about me."

* * *

Edward leaned on his knees, breathing in deeply as sweat dripped down his face. He looked up at Wisteria and Alphonse who were still sparring. She had beaten him six times! How was that even possible?! She was even showing him techniques he had never thought of. Alphonse punched towards her and she jumped into the air, landing on his shoulders. Edward realized she was taking advantage of the fact he couldn't feel anything. He looked around frantically for the brunette, shouting "Where did she go?! Where did she go?!"

She flipped off, kicking Alphonse on her way down. The younger brother stumbled before falling forward into the grass. Wisteria landed softly on the ground as Edward made his way over. "That was a good fight," Alphonse complimented, sitting up.

"Thank-you."

"No, it was amazing," Edward added.

"Thank-you."

"So besides guns and hand-to-hand, do you know any other fighting styles."

She shrugged, "Swordsmanship, knife-throwing, the occasional blunt weapon."

Edward nodded, "Impressive."

"Not really."

"It really is," Alphonse insisted.

She shrugged again. Then she looked down at her stomach, "I'm hungry."

"Me too," Edward agreed, rubbing his own stomach. "Know any good places around here?"

"No, I was just transferred."

"Oh, me too. Where were you transferred from?"

"Briggs."

"I hear it's harsh up there," Alphonse said.

She shrugged again, "I guess."

Edward looked at her and sighed along with his younger brother. This girl was more boring than a bag of rocks. "She's a little dull," Edward whispered to his brother, thinking she couldn't hear them as she walked ahead.

"That's not very nice, Brother," Alphonse chided. "She may just need to open up a bit more."

"I hope she does it soon," Edward grunted. "If she stays like this much longer, I'm ditching her in the next town."

"Brother!"

Neither of them noticed the pained expression on her face while her back was turned to them. The words stung her, but she wouldn't show weakness.

* * *

_How do you like it? If you want more, comment! Please. O_O_


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